Cabinet structure



Nov. 17, 1964 l. c. coURsoN CABINET STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-'Sheet l FiledMarch 6. 1961 Novi. 11, 1964 c. couRso CABINET STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Y Filed March 6. 1961 INVENTOR /ER C. COJN United States Patent O3,157,306 CABINET STRUCTURE Iber C. Courson, Glenside, Pa., assignor, bymesne assignments, to Philco' Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 93,662 2 Claims.(Cl. 220-9) This invention relates to cabinet structure, and moreparticularly to thermally insulated cabinet structureprovided withrefrigerating means adapted to cool the interior thereof.

Considering refrigerated cabinet structure, and by `way of exampledomestic refrigerators, it is normally the practice to provide unitarystructure housing both the refrigerated storage compartment and themachine compartment, the latter being adapted to receive the condensingunit. It has been the practice in structure of this type thermally toinsulate the storage compartment to the exclusion of the machinecompartment. With the advent of foamed insulation which is installed byfoaming of constituents directly in the region of an assembly to beinsulated, for example in the region between the assembled outer shelland inner liner comprising the storage compartment, it has beenpro-posed that the insulating operation be carried out automatically,which operation involves handling the cabinet outer shell and innerliner assembly by automatic machinery. When foaming the insulation inplace, relatively high pressures are developed within the confines ofthe space being insulated, which pressures create forces tending tobulge the liner and shell walls. To counter this tendency, fixtures areprovided for bracing the walls, which procedure makes it highlydesirable to isolate the storage compartment undergoing insulation fromthe non-insulated machine compartment which requires its own assemblyoperations quite part from those operations performed on the storagecompartment. Also it is desirable to minimize the number of assemblyoperations following the insulation operation, for example operationsinvolved in mounting of doors, latches, trim, and the like.

It is therefore an objective of the invention to provide improvedrefrigerator cabinet structure comprising component parts readilyadapted for handling and assembly by automatic machinery.

It is another and more specific objective of the invention to providethermally insulated cabinet structure having improved heat-leakagecharacteristics.

It is another object of the invention to provide irnproved cooperativepositioning of elements of refrigerator cabinet structure facilitatingassembly and construction thereof.

It is still another object of the invention to provide improved methodsfacilitating assembly and construction of refrigerator cabinetstructure.

In the achievement of the foregoing and other objectives, the inventioncontemplates provision of separately handleable insulated storagecompartment and condensing unit compartment elements adapted forassembly into a single, complete refrigerated cabinet. The inventionfurther contemplates that the storage compartment comprise a separatelyhandleable element for the insulating operation, apart from thecompartment for the condensing unit, and structure for attaching thecondensing unit compartment to the storage compartment. The inventionadditionally comprises thermal breaker strip structure characterized inthat it is formed integrally with the cabinet liner and is disposed forcooperative sealing engagement with door gasket means to seal thecompartment.

The manner in which the foregoing as Well as other objects andadvantages may best be achieved will be ICC understood more fully from aconsideration of the following description, taken in light of theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet made inaccordance with the present invention, with shelving and receptaclesremoved, and with the doors opened.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, with parts broken away, taken along line2-2 as applied to the cabinet seen in FIGURE 1, but with the doorsclosed.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the refrigeratorcabinet seen in FIGURE l, and with the insulation shown as attached tolthe inner shell. As will be clear from what follows, this attachment isshown in the interest of illustration only. In actuality insulationV isfoamed after assembly, and adheres to both the inner and the outershells.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the cabinet seen in FIGURE 1and showing the upper door hinging arrangement.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional View, With parts removed, looking inthe direction of arrows 5-5 applied to FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational showing of the between-doorshinging arrangement, and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic showing of a refrigerating system suitablefor use in the present invention.

With more particular reference to the drawings, and first to FIGURES 1,2 and 3 thereof, there is illustrated a'refrigerator cabinet 10, of thehousehold type,rhaving outer shell structure comprising separatelyhandleable upper and lower sections 11 and 12, respectively which areadapted to be fitted and secured together, in accordance with novelfeatures of the present invention, to form rigid unitary outer shellstructure. The shell structure is shown in the drawings both prior to(FIGURE 3) and after (FIGURES l, 2, and 4 to 6) assembly. It will befurther noted that the lower shell section 12 comprises both themounting base for the cabinet 10 and the housing for the compressor andcondenser assembly (FIG- URE 7).

As best seen in FIGURE 3, the upper section 11 is formed of a singlesheet of metal or other material bent to rectangular shape and providedwith front and rear peripheral flanges 13 and 14, respectively. The rearflange 14 extends inwardly substantially at right angles to the plane ofthe sheet material, and a rear panel 15 is attached to rear flange 14 inany suitable manner, such as by welding or by screws (not shown). Asbest seen in FIGURES 2 and 5, the front flange 13 is disposed along thefront edge of shell 11 and defines a channel having an open portionpresented forwardly of the cabinet and leg portions 16 and 20 spaced onefrom the other between outer shell 11 and inner shell 21. The innershell or liner 21 also is provided with a frontal flange 22 disposedalong its periphery and presented toward flange 13 of the outer shell.

Thermal insulation 23 is disposed within the space separating the innerand outer shells 2l and 11, and the flange 22 of the inner shellcomprises the breaker strip for the front of the cabinet. As can be seenin FIGURES 2 and 5, breaker strip trim means 24 is disposed betweeninner shell flange 22 and leg 20 of outer shell flange 13. Trim means 24is mounted by a resilient portion 25 thereof disposed in the channelopening and resiliently engaging the channel leg portions 16 and 20.

The inner leg portion 16 of outer shell flange 13 is provided with aflat face portion 26 presented toward the front opening of outer shell11. Flat face portion 26 includes a rearwardly presented flange 30disposed at substantially right angles to the frontally facing portion26. As will be seen in FIGURES 3 and 5, reinforcing angular members orgussets 31 are disposed in each corner of the outer shell 11 and arerigidly attached, for example by screws, to the frontally presentedportion 26 of the channel.

Intermediate the respective upper and lower walls 32 and 33 of outershell 11 (FIGURE 3) are tapping plates 34, 35 and 37 spot welded to thefrontally presented .strip 26. With reference also to FIGURES 4 and 6,the

door hinge means 36, 40, and 41 are mounted to tapping plate 34 and tothe upper and lower right hand gussets 31. Uppermost hinge means 36comprises an inverted L- shaped bracket 42 having a at face portion 43mounted against the flange 22 of cabinet liner 21 and attached by screws(not shown) to the upper right hand gusset 31. Bracket 42 furtherincludes a horizontal portion 44, having a pin 45 that depends therefromand into an opening 51 provided with a bearing disposed within a hingebracket 46 carried by the upper door 47.

The between-door hinge means (FIGURES 3 and 6) comprises a pair ofL-shaped brackets 51 and 52, the

upper one of which has a at base portion 53 attached by screws totapping plate 34. Upper bracket 51 further has a horizontal portion 54extending from base portion 53. A pin 55 is insertable through anopening 57 in portion 54 to extend upwardly and downwardly therefrom.The downwardly presented portion of pin 55 extends into an opening 60 ina pin 58, which pin extends through horizontalportion 62 of anotherhinge bracket 56 having a face portion 61 mounted to the face of thecabinet also by tapping plate 34.

Similarly, the lowermost hinge means 41 includes a hinge bracket 63disposed at the bottom of the cabinet at the lower right hand corner ofits face. This bracket has an upwardly presented pin 64 that pivotallyengages the lower bracket (not shown) of lower door 48.

Tapping plates 35 and 37 are mounted to rearwardly extending liange 30of face portion 26. Latch strikes 75 and 76 are mounted to respectivetapping plates 35 and 37, and are disposed, respectively, for doorlatching engagement with latch bolts 81 and 80 (FIGURE l).

An insulative baille 65 divides liner 21 into a pair of food storagecompartments 66 and 70, closed, respectively, by doors 47 and 48 mountedto the hinge brackets as hereinabove described. Insulative baflle 65 isdisposed Vin close sealing engagement with the respective side and rearwalls 71 and 72 of the inner shell or liner 21. The forward edge ofbaflle 65 is a substantially flat, vertically extending surface and isadapted for sealing engagement with horizontal portions of upper andlower door gaskets 82.

As shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 7, the refrigerating unit includesan evaporator 73 disposed in the upper compartment 66 and adapted tooperate at below freezing temperatures, and an evaporator 74 disposed inthe lower or above-freezing food compartment and adapted to operatebetween above and below freezing temperature to provide for defrostingthereof at desired intervals. While not shown for -the sake ofconvenience in FIGURE 7, a portion of the conduit connecting thedischarge of compressor 91 tothe inlet of condenser 90 may be conguredas a loop 90a (FIGURES 2 and 5) and inserted in the channel portion oftlnge 13. In this location of conduit 90a hot gaseous refrigerant owingtherethrough tends to warm the cabinet outer shell in this regionthereby to prevent sweating on the outer surface of the cabinet shellunder high relative humidity conditions encountered in some geographicalareas. It will of course be further understood that, while none has beenshown, conventional thermostatic control means may be provided for theillustrated refrigerating unit in accordance with known practice.

It is a particular feature of the invention that the hinge brackets 42,46, and 56, if desired, may be mounted upon the left side of cabinet 10and the doors hinged thereto merely by turning them end-for-end. Also,the latch ,the rear wall of the liner.

strikes may be moved to the opposite side, in the event that hinging ofthe doors is reversed, merely by providing a duplicate set of tappingplates on the said opposite side prior to insulating the cabinet at thetime of assembly.

The door sealing gaskets 82 are mounted thereon according to usualpractice,` and are adapted to seal against the inner shell flange 22,and the front bafl'le 65, when the doors are moved to closed position.

As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 5, an additional important feature of theinvention resides in structure for mounting the base 'or lower shell 12to the upper outer shell 11. This structure comprises a forwardlypresented channel 83 disposed along a lower front edge portion oftheouter shell 11, the base 12 for outer shell 11 having a projection 84receivable in channel 83 to mount the base to the cabinet. Bosses 83aare formed on the lower leg of channel 33 and serve as a bearing surfacefor the engaged flange 84. Final attachment means for connecting thebase 12 to the outer shell 11 includes tabs 85 at the rear of the basewhich are attachable by screws (not shown) to the rear of the outershell. Such screw attachment is afforded by tapping plates 36spot-welded to the rear-panel as shown.

The front wall of base 12 has an opening 88 over which a decorativegrill 89 is positioned, said grill and opening providing for Ventilatingthe refrigeration unit components (FIGURE 7) disposed within the base.

It will be appreciated, from the exploded showing of FIGURE 3 that'outer and inner shells 11 and 12, breaker trim 24, and hinge mountingbrackets 42, 46, 56, are all mounted or assembled to one another in asingle direction, that is in a direction transverse the opening of thefood compartment. This unidirectional assembly feature minimizes thenumber of assembly manipulations, and renders the cabinet structureparticularly adaptable to assembly by automatic devices.

In assembling of the cabinet, outer and inner shells 11 and 21 areassembled together by nesting shell 21 within outer shell 11 in suchmanner that the front flange of the inner shell rests against the frontflange of the outer shell, as best seen in FIGURE 2. The inner shell iscentered from side to side so that the extreme edge of the iiange 22 issubstantially aligned with leg portion 16 of the ange 13. This insures auniform access opening for the recess formed by legs 16 and 20 of thefront outer shell flange 11. With reference also to FIGURE 3 it will benoted that prior to the above described assembly the required mountingplates, as seen for example at 35, 37 and 34, have been attached to theouter shell by suitable means described elsewhere in the specication.

The outer and inner walls of the above described assembly of shells 11and 21 are then braced by suitable means (not shown). For example, aplug device may be inserted into the liner and nested therein againstits walls. The entire assembly may then be inserted into a cavity-likestructure having walls disposed and adapted to embrace the walls ofouter shell 11. While the assembly is thus braced, the insulation, asseen at 23, is foamed in place, in accordance with known practice, andclosely adheres to surfaces of the outer and inner shell that face oneanother. Adherence of the insulation to the shells rigidiies thestructure into a single, unitary element. Thereafter the bracingstructure is removed for the next assembly operation.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the insulation chargeto be foamed in place is disposed between the rear walls of the linerand outer shell while the food compartment structure is positioned onits back with the opening facing upwardly.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the rear panel ofthe outer shell may be removable and the food compartment assembly maybe placed with its opening facing downwardly. The charge of insulationis then distributed both in the side wall cavities and upon The rearpanel is then attached, the cabinet is suitably braced, and theinsulation foamed in place. This latter technique for carrying out theinsulating operation is particularly advantageous, inasmuch as it hasbeen found that a charge of insulation when in the process of foamingwill move readily, of its own accord, in a vertical direction whereassome dithculty is encountered in achieving lateral movement thereof. Itwill therefore be appreciated that by having a removable rear panel, andplacing the cabinet on its front face with the liner in position, theinsulation charges placed in each of the side, top, and bottom wallcavities need only rise vertically to ll the same. Also the chargedistributed across the rear wall of the liner need only move verticallyto fill the rearmost cavity. By insulating the cabinet in this manner,there is ensured uniformity of textiure of the body of insulation aswell as freedom from vor s.

Preferably, inner shell 21 is of a thermally non-conductive materialwhereas outer shell l1 is of metal. It will of course be understood thatboth the inner and outer shells may consist of a thermally nonconductivematerial.

Keeping in mind that the insulating operation is carried out utilizingan assembly of the upper outer shell 11 and inner shell 21 only, themounting base 12 including condenser 90 and compressor 91 is mounted tothe upper assembly after insulating, and at which time refrigerantconnections may be made between the condenser and evaporators. Mountingof the base 12 to cabinet 11 is achieved by relatively tilting theseelements while inserting ange 84 into channel means 83 (see FIGURE 5)followed by relatively moving the opposite edges of the base and cabinettogether so that tabs 35 are properly aligned with the tapping plates86.r Tabs 85 are then attached to plates 86 by screws, therebycompleting the assembly of the base to the cabinet.

Upon completion of this operation, the door hinge brackets are fastenedto the front of the cabinet, by screws extending through the bracketsand into the tapping plates, and at the same time doors 47 and 48 may bemounted to their brackets. Also, latch strike members 75 and 76 may bemounted to the cabinet by screws threadedly engaging tapping plates 35and 37.

Considering that the arrangement of a particular home makes it desirableto hinge the doors from a side of the refrigerator in accordance withsuch arrangement, it will be appreciated that the disclosed mode ofassembly and construction makes it possible, at the last stages ofassembly, to select the side to which the door will be hinged. Thisadvantage of course iiows from the symmetrical nature of the assemblyafforded by the novel configuration of the elements comprising thepresent invention. In fact, hinging of the doors advantageously can bemodified either in the home or upon purchase of the refrigerator, due tothe interchangeability of the doors, hinges and latches.

It will be seen further that the base portion 12 of the outer shellincludes a floor portion 17, the corners of which are provided withlevelling feet 92 for cabinet 10. Also, suitable means (not shown) maybe provided for attaching elements of the condensing unit to doorportion 17.

It will be evident from the foregoing that structural features of thepresent invention aiord numerous other f reduced.

l claim:

1. A refrigerator cabinet comprising: an outer shell; inner linerdisposed within and spaced from said outer shell; thermal insulationdisposed within the space separating said shell from said liner, saidshell and said liner having edge portions defining an access openingover which a door may be mounted; means defining a flange disposed alongthe periphery of said liner and presented toward the edge portion ofsaid shell; means defining a channel extending along the edge portion ofsaid shell, the open portion 0f said channel being presented forwardlyof the cabinet, said channel including leg portions disposed betweensaid shell and said liner flange; and trim means comprising a channelformed of exible and resilient material, one leg portion lof said trimmeans extending transversely of and disposed in frictional resilientengagement with opposed leg portions of said cabinet channel to retainsaid trim means, the other leg portion of said trim means extending fromsaid outer shell toward said liner, over said shell channel, and ontothe flange of said liner, said last recited leg and said flange beingcooperatively disposed to form a substantially continuous, frontallypresented frame for said cabinet opening.

2. A refrigerator cabinet comprising inner liner and outer shellelements spaced one from the other, means defining a forwardly presentedchannel extending along the forwardly presented edge portions of saidliner and shell elements and including leg portions disposed betweensaid shell and said liner elements, and trim means including a channelformed of llexible and resilient material, one leg portion of said trimmeans extending transversely of and disposed in frictional resilientengagement with opposed leg portions of said cabinet channel to retainsaid trim means, the other leg portion of said trim means extending fromsaid outer shell element toward said liner element, over said iirstmentioned channel, whereby to form therewith a substantially continuousfrontally presented frame for said forwardly presented edge portions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,698,578 Bergman Jan. 8, 1929 2,135,091 Newill Nov. 1, 1938 2,537,314Mortensen lan. 9, 1951 2,552,641 Morrison May 15, 1951 2,644,605 PalmerJuly 7, 1953 2,661,117 Wallenbrock Dec. 1, 1953 2,662,660 Frykdahl Dec.l5, 1953 2,807,837 Kesling Oct. 1, 1957 2,845,320 Saunders July 29, 19582,866,675 Kesling Dec. 30, 1958 2,958,210 Rill NOV. l, 1960 2,962,183Rill Nov. 29, 1960

2. A REFRIGERATOR CABINET COMPRISING INNER LINER AND OUTER SHELLELEMENTS SPACED ONE FROM THE OTHER, MEANS DEFINING A FORWARDLY PRESENTEDCHANNEL EXTENDING ALONG THE FORWARDLY PRESENTED EDGE PORTIONS OF SAIDLINER AND SHELL ELEMENTS AND INCLUDING LEG PORTIONS DISPOSED BETWEENSAID SHELL AND SAID LINER ELEMENTS, AND TRIM MEANS INCLUDING A CHANNELFORMED OF FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT MATERIAL, ONE LEG PORTION OF SAID TRIMMEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF AND DISPOSED IN FRICTIONAL RESILIENTENGAGEMENT WITH OPPOSED LEG PORTIONS OF SAID CABINET CHANNEL TO RETAINSAID TRIM MEANS, THE OTHER LEG PORTION OF SAID TRIM MEANS EXTENDING FROMSAID OUTER SHELL ELEMENT TOWARD SAID LINER ELEMENT, OVER SAID FIRSTMENTIONED CHANNEL, WHEREBY TO FORM THEREWITH A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUSFRONTALLY PRESENTED FRAME FOR SAID FORWARDLY PRESENTED EDGE PORTIONS.